Agricultural Concerns: Two-day seminar concludes

BAHAWALPUR: The National Conference on Saline Agriculture at the Islamia University of Bahawalpur concluded on Wednesday. The experts on the second day recommended that a body be constituted for better collaboration among various institutes working on salinity management. They said suggested that reclamation of saline and sodic soils (with high sodium concentration) with gypsum be promoted through 50-50 cost sharing between the government and the farmers. They also recommended that the first irrigation of wheat crop in saline and sodic land under rice-wheat cropping system be delayed till 35-42 days after sowing. They also advocated making rainwater harvesting mandatory. Food and Agriculture Organisation’s country representative Dr Kevin Gallagher was also present.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 12^th, 2012.